China, Sri Lanka bolster BRI bond

China and Sri Lanka have outlined a plan to further boost high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, amid a series of agreements they signed on Wednesday to enhance bilateral ties.

President Xi Jinping and visiting Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake witnessed the signing of the cooperation documents between the two countries, including an agreement on Sri Lanka's export of agricultural products to China, after their official talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Xi told Dissanayake that China will actively support Sri Lanka in focusing on economic development, and will advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, enhance collaboration in fields such as modern agriculture, the digital economy and the marine economy, and create new highlights in bilateral cooperation.

In response, the Sri Lankan president said that his country remains committed to joint construction of the Belt and Road to enhance mutual connectivity in the region, and welcomes more investment from Chinese enterprises.

Dissanayake started a four-day state visit to China on Tuesday, and analysts said the trip has far-reaching economic and geopolitical implications. This is his first visit to China since taking office as Sri Lankan president in September, and his second overseas trip, following a visit to India in mid-December.

In recent years, China has deepened its strategic cooperative partnership with Sri Lanka with fruitful outcomes on Belt and Road cooperation, including the building of a container terminal in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo, as well as roads and railways, and the development of Hambantota Port and Port City Colombo.

During their talks, Xi emphasized the long-standing traditional friendship between China and Sri Lanka. He said that over the 68 years since they established diplomatic relations, the two countries have maintained a healthy and stable relationship, setting an example of friendly coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation between nations.

Xi said that China-Sri Lanka relations now face historical opportunities to build on past achievements and open up new prospects. He called on both sides to handle their relationship from a strategic perspective and work together to build a China-Sri Lanka community with a shared future.

China is committed to taking Sri Lanka as a priority in its foreign relations, and pledges continued support for the country in safeguarding its national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as its independent choice of the development path that suits its national conditions, he said.

Xi assured Dissanayake that as China is committed to comprehensively deepening reform and advancing the modernization drive, new opportunities will be created for Sri Lanka's development.

He also expressed the country's willingness to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Sri Lanka in multilateral institutions such as the United Nations, and to work together to address major global challenges like climate change.

Both countries should uphold unity and self-improvement among the countries of the Global South to contribute to regional peace, stability and prosperity, Xi added.

Dissanayake expressed his appreciation for China's significant achievements in the fields of economy, technology and infrastructure, saying that China has always been a reliable friend and partner to Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka highly values its relationship with China, firmly adheres to the one-China principle, and appreciates China's valuable support in safeguarding its independence, sovereignty and legitimate rights and interests, he said.

He expressed Sri Lanka's commitment to enhancing cooperation with China in a broad range of areas including infrastructure, energy, agriculture, finance, poverty reduction, digital transformation, tourism and personnel training.

Noting that China is a leading country of the Global South and plays a positive role in international affairs, Dissanayake said Sri Lanka is willing to continue strengthening coordination and mutual support with China within a multilateral framework to safeguard their common interests.

Before their talks, Xi held a grand welcoming ceremony for Dissanayake at the Great Hall of the People.